§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Aberdare)My Lords, I beg to move that the Second Report from the Select Committee on House of Lords' Offices be agreed to.
I should draw your Lordships' attention to one item in this report. I refer to the first item under the heading "Cancer Screening". Your Lordships may recall that in April the noble Baroness, Lady Ewart-Biggs, tabled a Starred Question in which she asked whether it would be possible to provide cervical and breast screening facilities for House of Lords' staff by means of a mobile unit run by the Women's National Cancer Control Campaign.
That proposal was examined by the Administration Sub-Committee and a proposal has now been made which has been endorsed by the 241 Offices Committee. A mobile unit will be available from 17th to 19th November in Black Rod's garden. This is an experiment, and it will of course be very carefully monitored. We have already circularised all female staff in the House of Lords. There has been a very satisfactory response. Over 50 per cent. have responded positively.
§ Moved, That the Second Report from the Select Committee be agreed to.—(The Chairman of Committees.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.
§ The Report was as follows:
§ 1. CANCER SCREENING
§ The Committee agreed a recommendation from the Administration Sub-Committee that on-site cancer screening facilities for women should be provided on an experimental basis and authorised provision for the cost of the experiment.
§ 2. HISTORICAL RECORDS
§ The Committee were informed that certain historical manuscripts belonging to the late Lord Braye had been made available to the House and gave authority for their purchase.
§ 3. LIBRARY
§ A Report from the Library Sub-Committee for 1986 was laid before the Committee.
§ 4. COMPUTER DEVELOPMENTS
§ The Committee agreed a recommendation that the House of Lords should meet additional staffing cost arising from the House of Commons (POLLS) computer project and also authorised provision for a new computer cataloguing system (SWALCAP) in the House of Lords' Library.
§ 5. REFRESHMENT DEPARTMENT
§ The Committee approved a statement of Accounts for the financial year 1986–87.
§ 6. STAFF OF THE HOUSE
§ The Committee considered further proposals arising out of the staff inspection and agreed:
- (a) the regrading of the post of Examiner of Acts and the temporary upgrading of one executive officer post in the Accountant's office to higher executive officer;
- (b) the creation of a new grade of senior officer;
- (c) a reduction of one post in the complement of personal secretaries; and
- (d) revised scales of pay for certain secretarial grades.
§ The Committee also approved the payment of a revised allowance to the Staff Superintendent for duties at weekends and on public holidays and an increase in the payments made to doorkeepers for night duties.
§ 7. PARLIAMENT OFFICE
§ The Committee agreed to the employment of an additional clerk in the period up to Easter 1988.
§ 8. BLACK ROD'S DEPARTMENT
§ The Committee sanctioned the temporary employment of an additional Attendant during periods of prolonged absences of permanent staff.
§ 9. INTERNAL AUDIT
§ The Committee agreed to an extension of service for the Internal Auditor.
§ 10. REVISED SCALES OF PAY AND ALLOWANCES
§ The Committee confirmed the application to staff of the House of Lords of the following Civil Service memoranda:
- CM/793—Pay of cleaners and office keepers
- CM/794—Pay of museum grades and catering managers
- CM/795—Pay of higher grades
- CM/798 Pay of administration grades up to chief clerk
- CM/800 Pay of administration grades up to chief clerk
- GM/401—Fees to academic consultants;
§ 11. UNIFORM ALLOWANCES
§ The Committee authorised an increase in the allowances paid to Clerks at the Table, the Gentleman Usher and Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod, and Doorkeepers for the purchase and maintainance of dress clothes.
242§ 12. SUPERANNUATION
§ The Committee were notified of the following awards made under the House of Lords Staff Pension Scheme:
- (a)Revised pension and lump sum to Mr. W. Frensham, Deputy Editor, who retired on 13th September 1986;
- (b)Revised pension and lump sum to Mrs. B. M. McCullagh, Cleaner, who retired on 19th April 1987;
- (c)Revised pension and lump sum to Mrs. J. L. Saxton, Cleaner, who retired on 14th April 1987;
- (d)Revised pension and lump sum to Mr. M. T. Nevin, Attendant, who retired on 10th April 1986;
- (e)Lump sum death benefit to personal representative of the late P. M. Byrne, former Assistant Editor, who died on 4th November 1986;
- (f)Revised lump sum death benefit and pension to widow of the late C. F. Fowler, former Doorkeeper, who died on 8th December 1986;
- (g)Short service payment to Miss A. V. Cook, Personal Secretary, who resigned on 30th April 1987.